Judge, 1926-11-13 · page 12 of 36
Judge — November 13, 1926 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "That Statistical Age" - Judge Magazine Satire This page satirizes early 20th-century America's obsession with scientific measurement and psychological terminology. The title piece mocks how modern psychology and statistics infiltrate even childhood—a boy explains his future prospects using Freudian concepts (Oedipus complex, dementia praecox) and insurance actuarial data, concluding life's odds make success virtually impossible. The "Crime Note" cartoon jokes about jury comprehension: the judge instructs jurors on evidence, but they're preoccupied with brewing beer—referencing Prohibition-era concerns about alcohol production, suggesting jurors' real interests lie elsewhere. "Literary Scenes" presents absurdist vignettes of literary tropes exaggerated to ridiculous extremes (criminals dying with dramatic last words, etc.). The boxing cartoon satirizes contemporary sportswriting's pseudo-scientific language about championship fights reduced to mechanical descriptions of punches. The overall message: American culture drowns in jargon, statistics, and pseudo-intellectual language obscuring simple truths.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
That Statistical Age es A» what,” the kind old gentle- 44 man asked the little boy, * you going to be when you grow up? “According to my last psycho- logical tests,” the little boy patiently, pausing in his 4 cylinder from his straight have an Oedipus Rex comple answered ay with a ight, “I . which, if not sublimated or diverted will make me a dementia priecox, if not an Elk, by the time I am sixteen. Another consideration is. that, BomB KILLS TWO es ETE) morning ANFUL cording to the Mendaliam Theory 1 ChoKeD (epee may have inherited a taste for horse To DEATH fauro ing from my maternal great grand- her who had a mole on his left | oJ ear and who could never eat pickled | herring. “Besides,” the little boy concluded, | “according to statistics recently is- sued by the Wet Blanket Insurance Company, only one out of every 9,8: YEGGS GET 3000 In Hovove Tunee rote Die in wanes smash sem PoLice children will survive accidental shoot- aris : : taratle ordinary murder, automob accidents, — pedestrianism, — alcohol _ 6) poisoning, mistaken identity, suicide, —— plain di and ten per cent. off for mist reous depreciation, so that it’s a long shot that ['ll grow up to be anything. So long.” Leonard MacTagart Crime Note Judge (after charging jury)—Is there any question that anyone would ; like to dave evidence Rey Juryman—A couple of us would like to know if the defendant boiled the malt one or two hours, and how does he keep the yeast out! before considering the The Power of the Press. Literary Scenes I'd Turn Over a New Leaf to See “I feints wit’ th’ “| ducks them two and , left and leads lands a right swing to th A Pace ‘ous criminal cut a nick — twicet fer th’ jaw” body. Me foot-work 1s sy < in time excellent” A busy efficiency expert stick him- self with the spur of the moment; ‘The Headless Horseman run a race with the brainless motorist; A reformer bite off more than he can chew, and then choke on it; An Indian shot in the back bite the dust, and before he dies, make a dirty remark to the hero; A famous lecturer have his speech cut and dried, and a stiff wind blow A rising young novelist become fired with ambition and burn up, Wayne G. Haisley Logical evolution of the heavyweight championship prize fight. comicbooks.com